


Human Together

by jesterlady



Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Episode Related, Episode Tag, F/M, Fights, Fix-It, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 10:55:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/734873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesterlady/pseuds/jesterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if before Veronica could say Logan was out of her life, he told her she was out of his?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Human Together

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own VM. Some lines are directly from the show. The title is by James Houston.

“He’s having trouble breathing because of his ribs. He got five stitches over his eye,” Veronica said severely. 

“Only five?” Logan laughed sardonically.

“You’re a lunatic.” Veronica did not believe Logan could possibly be that insensitive.

“You didn't know he was taping you?” Logan asked.

“He didn’t! Piz would never do that!” she said fiercely. 

Logan stared at her for a second and then spoke quietly.

“No, you know who would never do that, Veronica?” His voice grew increasingly louder until he was shouting. “I would never do that! But let’s draw from another little sordid incident of your past. One look at the camera in the ceiling fan and you ran for the hills convinced I was about to defile your person. Turns out you were wrong. But here it is, years later, and still it’s Logan who’s always wrong, who’s always doing the wrong thing.”

“That was a very different situation. I didn’t know what you were capable of at the time,” she said.

“No, it’s the same situation,” Logan argued. “You don’t trust me. You’ve never trusted me. I might have pulled some mean pranks, but did you ever see me do something as sick as that? Ever? Yet, you accused me and you’d even used up your accusation quota earlier that week by telling me I must’ve raped you. You’ve known me for years, way longer than Piz, and I’m the bad guy here in a situation where it’s obvious who the culprit is. Considering that and the fact that my girlfriend just broke up with me because of you, I’ll be the angry one today, okay?”

“That is not my fault and this whole thing could not be less of your business,” Veronica said, flustered that this conversation seemed to be turning on her.

“As your friend, I was angry at what happened to you. Someone’s always supposed to pay, right? Isn’t that the rule we live by?” he said, sounding tired.

“We tried to be friends and it didn’t work,” she began. Veronica worked up her courage to say what she suddenly thought she wasn’t capable of saying, but again Logan interrupted.

“No, it didn’t work. Again because of a lack of trust. Maybe you’re built that way, Veronica, but it will never work in reality. If you shut me out of your life, sooner or later, Piz will let you down. It’s human nature. You’ll blame him, you’ll blame every man, woman, and child on this earth and when you’re all by yourself, maybe you’ll remember this moment.”

“What moment?” she asked.

“The one where I walked out on you because you let me down. It’s true, I still love you and I loved you when you never returned my call after I begged you to forgive me and I loved you when Heather decided to play matchmaker over the radio. I loved you when I found Piz. But you refuse to love me, Veronica, and I don’t know what to do anymore. If you can’t recognize it, I feel sorry for you, but until you are willing to change, I can’t do this.”

Logan walked out of his room and Veronica heard the door slam a minute later. She wondered if her mouth had hit the floor, because his words resonated so deep within her she thought she must be vibrating. How could she come here so full of righteous anger and now feel as deflated as a balloon and twice as unsure of herself? He’d obviously been holding all that in for years.

Dick poked his head in the room.

“So, uh, are we still, like, talking now?”

***

Veronica spotted Logan at one of the cafeteria tables and sucked in some air before approaching him.

“Hey.”

“Something I can help you with?” he asked, but with a smile.

“You’re right,” she admitted, albeit reluctantly. “I know what you tried to do and I know that most of what happened between us was my fault. I’m sorry.”

Logan grabbed her hand and put it to his forehead.

“Tell me truly, do I have a temperature?”

“I’m telling the truth,” she said, in no mood for jokes and slipped her hand away. 

His smile faded.

“I apologize as well. I can be pretty dumb sometimes.”

“Yeah, well.” She shrugged. “I’m meeting Piz, who, by the way, is the one you should be apologizing to.”

Before he could say anything they were interrupted. Veronica wasn’t sure whether to be thankful or pissed off at Gory as he tried to terrorize her, though it was almost comical how Logan’s reaction was to try and pound him into the ground for doing it.

Even after he’d found out what a stupid thing to do that would be.

“You want to hear your friend apologize?” Logan asked, that trademark smirk of joy on his face.

What a hark back to the beginning of their own turbid relationship.

“Whoever you are, you're gonna die," said Gory from the ground and Veronica felt a sharp chill of fear run through her. 

Logan simply smiled, his whole body resonating with a righteous glee.

“Yeah, some day.” He grinned at Veronica, his resolution of ignoring her seemingly lost in his joy at defending her. She slowly smiled back. Here was a man who would do anything for her. Logan walked away and noticed Piz watching from the sidelines. “Ah, Piz, just who I was looking for. Listen, man. I am truly sorry for everything.”

Veronica highly approved of the sincerity in his tone. Logan left and Veronica found she couldn’t quite meet Piz’s eyes. She didn’t want him to see the truth she was beginning to realize.

“I think I lost my appetite,” he mumbled as she made her way toward him.

“Let’s get out of here,” she agreed. 

They went back to his dorm and found that Wallace had gone to class. It was awkward because the comfortable camaraderie that normally permeated the air between them had suddenly vanished.

“I never thought of myself as a rebound,” Piz suddenly remarked.

“Piz.”

“No, it’s okay.” He sat down on the bed, wincing slightly as he moved his ribs. “I’ve never been more infatuated with anyone. I’ve never acted more stupidly. Of course I’ve never had as much excitement either. We don’t really get sex tapes made of us in Beaverton.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, ignoring his attempt at levity. 

She sat down beside him but didn’t look at him.

“I don’t really see the appeal myself, though I can see how much he cares about you-” he began.

“Piz, I don’t want-" she started to say.

“You want him. You’ve always wanted him even when you tried to move on to be with me. Inside you beat yourself up for losing him and driving him away.”

“Not exactly what I want to hear right now,” she said.

“I’m an all purpose boyfriend,” he joked lightly. “I give advice, even during break ups.”

“So, we’re breaking up?” Veronica’s eyes started to fill.

“You’ll never be satisfied until you’re fighting with him and making it up again forever. I’ll never be satisfied until I’m somebody’s whole universe and not just a chum masquerading as a boyfriend,” said Piz.

Veronica didn't know why everyone could always see what she wanted but her.

“I’m so sorry, Piz.” 

He took her hand.

“I’m amazed it went as far as it did. But I do miss being your friend.”

“I’m not very good at being friends with my exes,” she confessed.

“I like to think I can beat any odds,” Piz replied easily.

“Except successfully lasting six months as my boyfriend,” she reminded him.

“Everyone has their cross to bear,” he said, shrugging.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“No problem. I’ll just trash you on my show next week.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She laughed slightly. “So what happens now?”

“Hmm, I have ribs to mend. You have a boy to find.”

“Are you sure about this?” she asked. 

“Go.” He nodded emphatically.

She kissed his cheek and grabbed her bag and almost ran to her car.

***

Logan was starting to realize exactly what he’d just done. Oh, he would do it again in an instant, but he hoped it didn’t negate any of the very real feelings he’d related to Veronica. She needed to understand what their relationship had to be like if they were going to have one. To not would just be to continue the same destructive cycle over and over again.

“Logan!” 

He heard her yelling behind him and half turned, though he kept walking to the door of the parking garage that would lead to the Neptune Grand.

“A favor, a lecture, a belated birthday gift perhaps?” he inquired when she’d caught up with him.

“An apology and most definitely a favor,” she replied.

“Didn’t we already do the apologies today or are we getting a head start for tomorrow?” He pretended to check his watch.

“Logan, please stop,” she said. 

He stopped walking and gave her his full attention. Something in her air made it seem like it was important.

“Fully yours, so spill.”

“I’m sorry that everything happened. I did it all wrong. I figured out what I’d lost and I got it back only to be too stubborn to keep it. I never listened to your voicemail and that’s why I never called you back,” she said.

“It was rather drunkenly pointed at the beginning,” he conceded.

“I shouldn’t be so self-righteous, so untrusting. I shouldn’t always be ready to put the blame on you. I know you do it enough to yourself,” she said.

“Don’t be silly; I’m perfect,” Logan said, attempting to take the pressure off the situation.

Veronica reached up and stopped his lips with hers. His surprise made him unresponsive for a second before he responded in earnest. But he broke away once his brain realized what was happening.

“Don’t you have a boyfriend?” he asked.

“Not as of five minutes ago,” she said, smiling.

“What happened?” he asked.

“He broke up with me. Apparently, he could see what I couldn’t,” said Veronica.

“Which is?” Logan asked, a little unsure.

“That I love you and I want you back.”

Logan’s face spoke words he could never have put into sentences.

“Why?” he asked, still not ready to accept this.

“You won’t leave my heart no matter how hard I try to make you out to be someone you desperately try not to be.”

He worked out that sentence and then looked down.

“I’ve got demons, Veronica.”

“So do I. And they like yours better than anyone else’s,” she said, smiling.

“They are handsome devils,” he agreed nonchalantly.

“Will you?” she asked, holding out her hands.

“Just…for keeps this time,” he provisioned, taking her hands.

“I’d say so. Not that we won't piss each other off again in five minutes.” Veronica wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly. It was definitely something he’d missed. “You know, I kinda had to take you back.”

“Mmm,” he murmured against her lips. “Why’s that?”

“Someone has to protect you from Gory and the Castle.”

“Uh, yeah, you mind explaining all that to me?” Logan asked.

“Later. Much later. Let’s go upstairs,” she whispered.

“My saucy little girl.” 

He led her to the elevator.

“Don’t push your luck,” she said, leaning into him as the doors chimed close.

He put his hands up to stroke her hair while leaning against the handlebar.

“So, um,” he asked casually. “Will I be getting any cheers?”


End file.
